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Completed	January 2010
Title	Read My Pins
Author	Madeleine Albright
Published	2009
Quote	"It would never have happened if not for Saddam Hussein. When U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright criticized the dictator, his poet in residence responded by calling her 'an unparalleled serpent.' Shortly thereafter, while preparing to meet with Iraqi officials, Albright pondered: What to wear? She decided to make a diplomatic statement by choosing a snake pin. Although her method of communication was new, her message was as old as the American Revolution----Don't Tread on Me. "From that day forward, pins became part of Albright's diplomatic signature. International leaders were pleased to see her with a shimmering sun on her jacket or a cheerful ladybug; less so with a crab or a menacing wasp. Albright used pins to emphasize the importance of a negotiation, signify high hopes, protest the absence of progress, and show pride in representing America, among other purposes."
Review	What's there not to love about this book? It's part biography, part fashion history----two of my favorite themes. And the photography is stunning, not to mention the pins themselves. What a collection! I have, say, less than a dozen brooches----but oh what I wouldn't give for a collection like Madeleine's! It's not about the precious value of the pins in her collection----it's the variety. It's how very unique some of them are. It's about a woman cultivating a certain, special, personal fashion style. It's about having the confidence to showcase a signature style. I just love it. I loved this book. And what an interesting angle from which to write about international diplomacy. Very cool indeed.

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